Integrated consumable data management system & platform

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods, devices and systems for associating consumable data with an assay consumable used in a biological assay. Provided are assay systems and associated consumables, wherein the assay system adjusts one or more steps of an assay protocol based on consumable data specific for that consumable. Various types of consumable data are described, as well as methods of using such data in the conduct of an assay by an assay system. The present invention also relates to consumables (e.g., kits and reagent containers), software, data deployable bundles, computer-readable media, loading carts, instruments, systems, and methods, for performing automated biological assays.

1 .- 233 . (canceled) 
     
     
         234 . An assay reader comprising:
 a light detection subsystem; and   a plate handling subsystem having a light tight enclosure, the light tight enclosure comprising a housing having a housing top, a housing bottom, a housing front, and a housing rear, the housing further comprising a plurality of alignment features;   wherein the housing is adapted to receive a removable drawer; and   wherein the assay reader is configured to read individual wells of a plate in a column to column reading pattern.   
     
     
         235 . The assay reader of  claim 234 , wherein the housing top comprises one or more plate introduction apertures and one or more plate ejection apertures, though which plates are lowered onto or removed from a plate translation stage. 
     
     
         236 . The assay reader of  claim 235 , further comprising a sliding light-tight door configured to seal the one or more plate introduction apertures from environmental light. 
     
     
         237 . The assay reader of  claim 234 , wherein the housing top comprises an identifier controller configured to read and process data associated with an identifier disposed on the plate. 
     
     
         238 . The assay reader of  claim 237 , wherein the identifier controller is a bar code reader mounted via a light-tight seal over an aperture in the housing top. 
     
     
         239 . The assay reader of  claim 237 , wherein the identifier controller is provided separately from the assay reader. 
     
     
         240 . The assay reader of  claim 237 , wherein the identifier controller comprises electrical connectors to allow for transfer of information between the identifier controller and integrated circuit cards configured for insertion into the assay reader. 
     
     
         241 . The assay reader of  claim 240 , wherein the integrated circuit cards further comprise contact pads configured to contact the electrical connectors of the identifier controller. 
     
     
         242 . The assay reader of  claim 237 , wherein the identifier controller is configured to interface with a radio frequency identification (RFID) system. 
     
     
         243 . The assay reader of  claim 234 , further comprising one or more photodetectors. 
     
     
         244 . The assay reader of  claim 234 , further comprising one or more sources of electrical energy for inducing luminescence. 
     
     
         245 . The assay reader of  claim 234 , further comprising thermoelectric coolers for optical sensors. 
     
     
         246 . The assay reader of  claim 245 , wherein the optical sensors are charge-coupled devices. 
     
     
         247 . The assay reader of  claim 245 , wherein the optical sensors are complementary metal-oxide semiconductor devices. 
     
     
         248 . An automated assay system comprising:
 a robotic gripper arm;   a plate carrier,   a plurality of optionally heatable shakers,   a processing deck; and   an air cooling and handling system including one or more thermoelectric coolers configured to receive warm air from the processing deck and return cooled air to the processing deck.   
     
     
         249 . A method of conducting an assay on a multi-well assay plate, the method comprising:
 receiving the multi-well assay plate at an assay reader;   reading a consumable identifier associated with the multi-well assay plate;   obtaining available consumable data associated with the consumable identifier, including at least an assay protocol;   initiating one or more manual or automatic steps of the assay protocol.   
     
     
         250 . A method of conducting an assay on an 8×12 multi-well assay plate, the method comprising:
 pipetting read buffer into wells of the multi-well assay plate using an eight tip pipettor one column at a time; 
 inserting the multi-well assay plate into an assay reader; and 
 reading the multi-well assay plate, by the assay reader, in blocks of four wells, wherein:
 each block of four wells spans two rows and two columns, and 
 a read pattern of the assay reader includes reading all wells of a first pair of columns in a first direction followed by reading all wells of a second pair of columns in a second direction.